A New Fox
by Simbahawk
Summary: After a strange arrival lands in the Station Square Chao garden, Sonic feels that he is being replaced. Rated T to be safe. Uses an OC. Possible pairings in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1: Appearance

**A/N: This is my first fanfic, and it DOES use an OC. Please don't flame, and if you don't like it, just click that little arrow pointing to the left in the corner. Anyways, this takes place shortly after the events of Sonic Adventure.**

_**Chapter 1- Appearance**_

"Jane, get out of the pool, you don't even have 50 skill points in swimming, yet!"

"Billy, stop singing, it's driving me nuts!"

"C'mon, Brook, eat your…orange-type thingy!"

It was a rough day. While everyone else was able to rest up after the incident with Chaos, Tails was forced to look after the Chao. Half of them in one garden alone weren't even his!

At least he was in Station Square. Here you could buy what you needed, instead of lugging fruit and hats halfway across the globe. Tails sighed.

_When will Knuckles take his turn? He almost never shows up._ Tails glanced over to the pool to see Jane struggling to keep her slightly green head above the water. "Jane! What did I just tell you?"

Letting out another exasperated sigh, Tails flew over and plucked up the hapless Chao. "C'mon, little fella'! Go be a good girl and eat your hero fruit."

As Tails looked over all of the Chao, he couldn't help but feel a wave of pride. Eight Chao resided here, two of which belonged to him. Billy, now punching a rock, attempting to break it, belonged to Knuckles. Brook was Tails', along with Jane. The rest, easily identified as the blue ones dashing around, belonged to Sonic. _They would be so proud!_

"Huh?" Brook waddled over to Tails and poked his leg, then pointed to the fountain. "Stanja!" Tails was confused.

"Stranger?" Brook nodded rapidly, and then hid behind Tails, staring at the splashing fountain.

As Tails glanced at the fountain, he didn't notice anything. That is, until he realized he wasn't seeing things. "WHAA!" Tails back-pedaled in fear, tripping over Brook. Yelping as he fell, he silently cursed himself. "I'm sorry, Brook, I didn't mean it!" Tails tried to console the crying Chao as best as he could, but to no avail. Tails had to think of something. Fast.

Pulling something out of his backpack he always lugged to the gardens, he said, "Cookie?" Brook's face lit up. "Pawease?" Brook begged Tails. He laughed a little.

"Sure! Here!" Nabbing the cookie, Brook sat and diligently nibbled on it. _OK, now what was I going…to…_"OH GOD!" Tails flew over to the fountain, regretting being so forgetful.

Lying half in the water was a brown fox. Nothing stood out about him except for some flame-colored hair topping his head. Shaking him, Tails tried to wake him. "You there? Please wake up!" Tears rolled down Tails' cheeks. He didn't even _know_ this guy, but he could already feel fear at the prospect of seeing someone die.

Tails tried everything he could, slapping, splashing water on his face, CPR; nothing worked. "C'mon, please wake up!" Hearing a splash, Tails turned and saw Brook paddling over.

Crawling over to the stranger, Brook poked it. Both the Chao and the kitsune fell back as the stranger bolted upright.

Fear danced behind its eyes. "Who…who are you?"

"You're awake!" Tails exclaimed. Composing himself, Tails added, "Oh… and I'm Miles. Miles Prower. Just call me Tails, OK?"

The stranger shrugged. "Fine by me. I'm Simba. Nice to meet you!" Extending his hand, Simba smiled. _At least he's of the friendly sort._ Tails extended his and they shook hands.

Simba appeared lost in thought. "What is this place? It seems so familiar…but I've never been here before…where did you say this place was, Mi- I mean, Tails?"

"Well…for starters, we're in a Chao garden, in Sta-"

"-tion Square, I remember now!" Simba interrupted. Now I know why this place looks so familiar! On my way here… I saw a sign…it said 'Station Square Police Station', and I even saw this place too!"

"How exactly did you get here, Simba?" Tails asked. "You randomly appear here, half-dead, but I never saw you enter. And you said something about pictures." Tails expression softened. "I don't mean to be rude…I'd just like to know."

Simba's blue eyes clouded. Changing the subject, he asked, "Any food? I haven't eaten in a while."

_Why did he avoid that question?_ "Sure, but not here. Could you wait a bit? I have to finish up here." Nodding, Simba lay on his back, presumably thinking. As he patiently waited, Tails finished up his Chao-related chores. "OK, ready to go?"

Simba stood somewhat awkwardly, and walked over to the large green doors, with a slight limp, one that wouldn't be noticed by a normal person.

Tails realized something he didn't realize before. Simba's right leg, at first glance, was just a little on the skinny side. But Tails knew better. He could always tell when someone had a prosthetic limb.


	2. Chapter 2: Greetings

**A/N- I have no idea where Tails' house actually is, or if it's his workshop, but I'm going by what I've read in other fics.**

_**Chapter 2- Greetings**_

As Tails pushed open the doors and commanded the elevator, Simba couldn't help thinking to himself. _He looks really young. Does he know what he's doing?_

The elevator doors opened with a soft ding. Stepping out of the elevators, Simba gaped in awe. Never had he seen anything like this before. He stood in a large hotel lobby, so clean you could eat off the floor…well…you still shouldn't do that. A man in a black suit stood behind a marble counter, and a banner of floating rings hung from the next floor up. Jarring Simba's thoughts, Tails grabbed his wrist and eagerly pulled him through a set of doors.

"I live in this area, just follow me!" Tails ran ahead, his namesakes twirling. _It kinda' reminds me of a propeller of some sort._ Simba walked at his own pace; enjoying the sights Station Square Casino District had to offer. A large casino stood in a corner, and a stair-way to his right led to what he though must be a train station of some sort. "_No trains will be leaving for the Mystic Ruins today._" A feminine voice read off the schedule for the station, pausing between each train.

"SONIC! THERE YOU ARE!" Simba turned, ignoring the fact that Tails seemed to be running faster. A pink hedgehog ran up to Simba and hug-tackled him. "Oh, Sonic, I missed you, where did you…wait, you're not Sonic!" She realized after opening her eyes. Using one hand to throttle him, and the other to pull out a huge yellow hammer from no where, she shouted in his face. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SONIC!"

Barely able to breath, Simba tried to call for help. "T-t-tails…he-help m-me!" Amy started to rise, Tails hovering in the air, holding her.

"Amy, he didn't do anything, stop!" Seemingly coming to her senses, Amy stopped pounding him with her hammer.

"Oops!" She chuckled. "I guess I got carried away there!" Massaging his sore neck, Simba got to his feet.

"Who are you, anyways?" Simba felt shy in her presence.

Twirling her hammer, and striking her little pose, Amy said, "Have no fear, Amy Rose is here!" Tails facepalmed.

"Amy, how long have you been waiting to say that?" Sitting down on her knees, Amy sighed.

"A while now, I guess." Standing up, she smiled. "So, what's you're name? I don't think I've seen you before."

Ruffling his hair, Simba blushed. "Simba. Um…nice to meet you."

Shaking hands with him, Amy asked, "So where you two headed? Back home, I take it?" Tails nodded. "Say hi to Cream for me, will you?" Running off, Amy headed through the hotel.

"Hi Tails!" Both Tails and Simba, startled, yelped in surprise. The newcomer giggled. "Didn't mean to startle you!" Giggling some more, the cream-colored rabbit, defying the laws of physics, flapped her ears and flew off, a blue Chao following her.

Simba glanced at Tails. "I take it that's Cream?"

Nodding, Tails added, "Yeah, and she always seems to fly through here when I'm around. Well, that's enough delay. Sonic will be home in about…six minutes and 42 seconds!"

Chasing Tails, Simba asked, "How do you know that?"

Tails shrugged. "I'm just a little smart. Nothing to brag about. Plus, Sonic always seems to come home at the same time."

The two foxes continued in silence. Cutting through an alley, they both reached Tails' home as a cobalt hedgehog disappeared inside. Tails groaned. "We're late!" Using his tails to propel himself forward, Tails zipped across the street, dodging cars like he had been doing it most of his life.

"Tails?" Turning around, he sighed. Crossing back over, he hovered above Simba.

"Hold on to anything but my tails." Grabbing his feet, Simba gaped in wonder as the yellowish kitsune was able to lift both himself and Simba, who was nearly as tall as Sonic, off the ground and across the street. "Coming in for a landing!"

Both gently plopped on the ground. Opening the door, the fox pair walked inside. The hedgehog, who had been laying on the coach eating a chili dog and watching some comedy, immediately bolted upright. "Tails, who is this?"

Tails sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. "Sonic, it's OK! He was passed out in the hotel Chao garden, so I helped him. He doesn't know how he got here, but he's a friend! Can we keep him! Please!"

A bead of sweat rolled down Sonic's face. "Uhh…Tails, you can't keep people, especially another Mobian." Tails blushed. "Now say sorry."

Tails looked up at Simba. "Sorry, Simba."

"Why don't you work on your plane, or read a book, I'll go make dinner. Want to help, Simba?" Immediately seeing that he wanted to talk to him, Simba nodded. "Chili dogs OK?" Both foxes nodded.


	3. Chapter 3: Tornado

**A/N- In case you didn't know, Simba is supposed to be me. So most of his skills are ones I have too, except for the obvious one, and I don't have a fake leg. Enjoy reading, and please review!**

_**Chapter 3- Tornado**_

As Tails sped downstairs, Sonic led Simba into the kitchen. Pulling out some buns and hotdogs from the freezer, he asked, "So…I take it you're around my age, huh?"

"Depends on how old you are."

"Fourteen."

"Put these in the microwave, thirty seconds." Handing Simba the buns, Sonic pulled some cans out of a cabinet, along with a couple pots.

"What do you think of Tails?" Sonic asked, dumping the chili and hot dogs into their separate pots, along with some water.

"He's a good kid, smart too. How old is he?"

"Eight, but with the head of a wise old man."

Satisfied that the food would cook on its own, Sonic suddenly lunged at Simba, pinning him against the wall. "Now listen, if you so much as _think_ about looking at one hair on that kids head the wrong way, I'll run you so hard into the ground, you'll beg for death. Clear?" Shaken by the hedgehog's surprise attack, Simba nodded. "Good."

Turning back to the bubbling food, Sonic continued as though nothing had happened. "Tails has been looking for someone to help on the Tornado. Would you mind helping him after dinner?"

"Sure, no problem," Simba replied, still somewhat shaken.

Dinner was simple. The chili dogs were surprisingly tasty, considering the fact that the chili was a jumbled mess of ingredients. Simba also proved that his Hot Cocoa was possibly the best anyone had ever tasted. Though the meal was quiet, it was still enjoyable.

Simba broke the silence. "Hey, Tails. Would you mind if I helped you on your Tornado?"

Tails looked up excitedly. "Do you really mean it?"

Glancing at Sonic's cold stare, Simba nodded. "Of course! That's what friends are for." Smiling, and ignoring Sonic's one-way staring contest with Simba, both foxes happily finished eating.

As chance would have it, both finished at the same time. Simba took the plates and placed them in the sink, and then he followed Tails downstairs.

Looking around the basement in wonder, Simba couldn't help but stare. The whole lower level had been transformed into a workshop of sorts. Blueprints lined the walls, desks stood in corners and against the wall, scrambled papers and spare parts cluttered on top.

"This…this is…AMAZING!"

Tails merely shrugged. "Glad you like it! I built this all myself."

Simba couldn't take it in. "That's…impossible! You're just…so…"

"Young?" Tails interrupted, seeming a little ticked. "I get that a lot, but hey, I AM only eight, and I've already built planes, AI's, pretty much everything. But not everything works, even the Tornado isn't perfect."

Beckoning him, Tails ran around a corner. Simba followed, but was then confronted with a gaping tunnel. "This leads to my workshop in the Mystic Ruins. I can't fit everything here!" Pressing a blue button on the wall, Tails tapped his foot, waiting.

In a few moments, a small elevator-type box opened, allowing the two foxes to step inside. Pressing another button inside, the doors closed and the pair was quickly swept through the tunnel.

Tails whistled to the tune playing.

In a few minutes, the doors opened with a soft ding, and the pair was deposited inside another cavernous underground workshop. "The Tornado is upstairs, c'mon!"

Following Tails, Simba climbed the staircase and passed through a door. A large, blue plane stood majestically on the polished floor. Logos of two, yellow tails were placed on each end of the wings and on either side of the tail. "This, Simba, is the TORNADO TWO! It may need some tune-ups, but it works rather well."

Pulling a tool box out of the corner, Tails removed a small panel on the side of the plane. Peering inside, he sighed…again. "Oh no, the wire ripped! Hold on a moment, I'll need to grab a blow-torch from upstairs so I can weld it!" Opening the door and stepping outside, Tails flew straight up, the door swinging on its hinges.

Simba turned and faced the plane's insides. Peering inside, he easily spotted the green wire. It had ripped, but was still hanging together by a few copper strands. Doing his best to line them all together with one hand, Simba took a deep breath. Concentrating, he could feel heat in his palm, growing warmer by the second. Focusing even harder, Simba willed the small, yet incredibly hot, flam to his fingertip, and got to work. The flame seemed to wrap around the wire, melting the rubber and welding the copper inside together.

"Still there, Simba?" Simba, now finished, hurriedly pulled himself out of the Tornado.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Just checking, that's all!" Tails replied, flying in and closing the door. Tossing a mask to Simba, Tails donned his, and proceeded to peer inside the plane again. "Where did that wire go? I could have sworn it was that green one there…wait…why does it look like it's already been welded? Simba, do you know what happened?"

Simba wasn't sure if should tell him what he really did or not. But Tails was his friend… "Yeah, I did that, I figured it would save some time…sorry."

Tails was speechless. "Wha…how?"

"I'm a pyro-kinetic, I thought you knew!"

"That's amazing!" Tails was almost jumping with excitement. "If you could concentrate your energy enough, we could use it as another energy source…Simba, you OK?" Simba was leaning against the wall, drenched in sweat, and breathing heavily. "Simba!"

Tails dashed over. "Simba, what's wrong?"

"I'm…huff…huff…OK…" He replied, breathing between every few words. "This happens…huff…every time I…huff…huff…use my…huff…pyro-kinesis…huff…" Slumping against the floor, he took a few more ragged breaths and closed his eyes.

"Simba…you OK?" Getting no answer, and seeing that Simba was still breathing, albeit less ragged and deep, he realized that he conjuring fire knocked him out. "I guess I'll get a pillow and a blanket…"


	4. Chapter 4: It Broke Again

**A/N- Is it just me or does this always seem to happen? And behold my pathetic excuse for a joke…and thank god for those aviation courses…and I'll stop ranting and let you read now.**

_**Chapter 4- It Broke…Again**_

Simba moaned from the corner he was slumped in. Tails, now replacing the panel on the side of the Tornado, called him. "Awake yet? It's been awhile."

Holding his head, Simba squinted against the soft light. "AAAGH! My head…it won't stop hurting!"

"Well, you have been unconscious for the past few hours, so it can only be expected. There, all finished!" Setting his wrench in the tool-box, he asked Simba, "Hey, since you did help, if only a little, want to fly with me?"

Even if your head feels like it's going to explode, _you_ try saying no to a young fox giving you the puppy-dog eyes. "Fine, at least the breeze will hel- WHOA!" Instantly awake, Simba stared at the metal claw lifting him by his waist. "TAILS!"

"Oops, sorry! I thought you would be like most people and not be able to get in. There aren't any steps, so you would have to jump."

Simba thought for a moment before adding, "Good point." A small panel withdrew behind the main cockpit to reveal another seat.

"I actually just added that seat. I figured Sonic wouldn't be the only one to fly with me. Now…prepare for take-off!" A whole wall withdrew as a narrow strip of cliff jutted into the sea. Opened to reveal a rising run-way. The palm trees along the sides tilted back on their bases.

"I still can't believe you did all of this, Tails!"

"So? I still can't believe it's not butter!" Flipping a few switches, the plane slowly drew forward, approaching the precipice. Pulling back on the wheel, Tails yelled, "Now lifting off!"

"Tails, we're not in the air yet, and it's only us!"

Tails shrugged. "Old habits are hard to break, you know?"

It was rather peaceful in the air above the ocean. The salty sea breeze seemed to guide them. Taking a large breath of the briny air, Simba sighed contentedly. At least he was awake to enjoy this. Another thought entered Simba's head, no matter how hard he tried to get rid of it. _Why am I trusting my life with an eight-year old behind the wheel again?_

"Hey Tails, what's that glow?" A green low appeared on the horizon, but still somewhat difficult to see with the setting sun.

"That my friend, is the Master Emerald!"

"Umm…so there are more emeralds, too?"

Sighing again, Tails turned and started to explain. "You see, there are these seven emeralds, called the Chaos Emeralds. They harness the Earth's energy, both positive and negative, to give the holder power. Now, the emeralds' power is nearly unlimited, but it DOES have an extent. One can only harness so much power before there is too much, causing an overload in energy and stopping the flow altogether." The oblivious kitsune continued his explanation, unaware of the slight rocking of the plane. "If one were to gather all seven, they would be able to tap into a nearly unlimited power source. And as for the Master Emerald…"

The plane was now noticeably bobbing in the air. "The Master Emerald controls the Chaos Emeralds, making it impossible to harness too much power without itself and a Guardian. The Guardian's job is to protect the emerald, and make sure it doesn't get stolen, breaks, or is misused. However…our current Guardian didn't do his job last time and the emerald broke, along with this alien thing being able to use all of the emeralds' power."

"TAILS!"

"What's wrong, Simba?"

"MOVE!" Recklessly climbing in the cockpit (An eight-year old fox takes up almost no room at all), Simba took hold of the wheel and pulled back, trying to get out of the dive towards the Master Emerald. "Tails, increase the drag!" The stunned fox quietly obeyed, too shocked to realize that he wasn't in charge, turning a small knob. The plane responded by raising the ailerons, immediately lowering the steepness of the dive. "Hold on, Tails!"

Closing their eyes, the fox pair both pulled back on the wheel, praying for a not-so-rough landing. Their hopes were crushed, however, when the left wing's tip hit the Master Emerald, knocking half of the wing off. Hitting a switch, the Tornado was still able to transform, albeit missing half of a wing. Barely able to control their path, even aided with a sleeker form, the foxes crashed against the side of the mountain, near a small gate.

As a small, red gem flew out of the nose, Simba and Tails pulled themselves from the wreck, scratched and bruised, but unharmed nevertheless. That is, until a red echidna pinned both of them against the ground.

"YOU IDIOTS! YOU BROKE THE EMERALD! YOU WILL PAY!" Letting go of Tails, he tossed Simba into the air and punched him, knocking him back a few yards.

"Knuckles! Don't it was an accident! If it wasn't for him, we would have crashed into the emerald head-on." Glaring daggers at Tails, Knuckles stalked angrily over to the unconscious fox, picked him up, and threw him on top of Tails. The picture would have been complete if steam blew out of his ears.

"But you _still_ managed to break off a chunk. Now I have to find the shards AGAIN!" Knuckles fumed. Tossing a small, beeping device, Knuckles explained what it was. "Use that. It'll beep faster the closer it is to a shard of the Master Emerald. Hit this button…and it'll beep faster the closer it is to a CHAOS Emerald. Got it?" Tails nodded, staring at the fast-beeping red icon of a Chaos Emerald. "What are you staring at, Tails?"

"Knuckles! Look how fast it's beeping! Is this normal if the emerald is way over there?" As Tails pointed to the red Chaos Emerald about ten yards away, Knuckles gave him a quizzical look.

"No…it really shouldn't…let me see it!" Yanking the emerald from Tails, Knuckles slowly walked over to the emerald. Glancing at the device, the icon turned yellow for a moment, then back to red as he approached it. "TAILS! There are TWO emeralds around here!"

"What do you mean, Knuckles? There can't be!" Running over to the foxes, Knuckles swept the radar back and forth.

An exclamation mark appeared as he held it over Simba.


	5. Chapter 5: Wild Canyon

**A/N- Yes, I'm using the REAL Angel Island, not the itty-bitty one in the game. And I lost the game. HA! I'll try to upload this weekly, but I have a lot to get done. But, please review, or else I won't have any motivation to continue, which is why I haven't really updated in a while (That and school…). So please, R&R!**

_**Chapter 5- Wild Canyon**_

Knuckles and Tails were jarred from their thoughts as the large, floating emerald began to rumble. "T-t-tails, w-what's going o-o-on?"

"I-I-I don't r-really kn-kn-know!"

Neither noticed a small shower of green around them, nor Simba slowly awakening, due to the immanent crash. "G-guys? Is th-there a-a-an e-earthquake or s-som-WHOA!" Simba's weak question was cut off as the island ceased to shake and plummeted to the ground.

"It can't end, not here!"

Tails sighed in defeat. "I guess it's over; I can't think of anything to get us out of this one. I guess this is the end…" The echidna and kitsune stood side by side, watching their watery killer rising up to meet them. As they slumped with defeat, a blue glow shone behind them. As they both turned, confused, they saw Simba, a few feet above the ground. He was holding a Chaos Emerald.

"So THAT'S where that emerald went, thief!" Simba ignored Knuckles jibe, staring into space, his eyes turning the same shade of light blue as the emerald in his hand.

"Chaos…"

"What's he doing…?"

"CONTROL!"

Simba blinked a few times in awe. Some…presence seemed to float around him, raising the fur on the back of his neck. Looking around, he couldn't figure out where he was; only that he was in a small room made of stone, and purple mist was swirling around. Standing up, he took in his surroundings. First, he noticed Tails and that red jerk weren't there. Then, he noticed there wasn't any door. "How…how did I get here?"

Slowly pacing the room, he took in as much as he could. There were hieroglyphs on the walls, all appearing normal, unless you counted the fact that there weren't any humans in them. The mist around him seemed to glow, periodically dulling, but always getting brighter again, possibly being the only light source in the gloomy box.

Slumping in the corner, he looked up at the ceiling. Nothing there either…except for the small pool of water forming. Letting out a small yelp in shock, e watched as it gathered and dripped onto the floor. Shaking, he could only watch as the water formed a figure, the only substance in it being a glowing pink brain.

"Wh-who are you?" Instead of the figure speaking, the manifested presence seemed to enter his thoughts.

_That depends…who are you?_

"Simba…" he managed to force out.

_I have never heard of you. Why not? I know every soul on Mobius, whether plant, animal, human, or Mobian._

Wondering if it worked both ways, Simba tried to turn his words into thoughts. _I don't know myself, only somewhere far away._

_Very well…I am known to most as Chaos, the protector of the Master Emerald._

_Chaos…as in the emeralds?_

_Sort of…I can harness their power, and I used to protect them, along with the Master Emerald, until that…tri…echid…dest…ine…_ Chaos's voice started to fade away, becoming intelligible, as everything started to go black.

"Wha-OW! OW! STOPPIT!" Simba sat up, awakened by Knuckles slapping his face.

As Knuckles sat back, Tails piped up, "We were wondering when you would wake up. It's been a few hours…"

"But what were you doing with MY emerald!" Knuckles interrupted.

Simba, not knowing what had happened, merely asked, "What emerald?"

"The Chaos…wha…er…AAAUGH!" Knuckles stopped midsentence and started pacing around, his face turning from red to blue. "How can you be such an _idiot?_ I was talking about the Chaos Emerald, you dolt! And what did you do with it; how the hell did we get here?" Knuckles turned on Simba, heat emanating from his yellow gloves.

"Knuckles! Back off, can't you see he has no idea what happened?" Tails grabbed Knuckles, trying to force him off of Simba. "You should really see someone about your anger issu- OOF!" As Knuckles stopped resisting, they both flew backward.

"Guys?" As the fighting Mobians turned towards Simba, Knuckles fist on Tails throat, they both turned their gaze to where Simba was pointing. A large green glow came from inside a large tower in the distance.

As Knuckle's face lit up with joy, he jumped, latched onto the wall, climbed to the top, and then glided over. With both Tails and Simba mumbling, "That was quick…" Tails grabbed Simba and the pair started flying upwards towards the tower.

Simba looked down. Normally, he wasn't any good with heights. But this was amazing. They had somehow appeared in a large, desert-like canyon. There were two main paths, one ending with a statues head, and the other ending with a series of platforms. Between the two, there was a large, gaping hole. "We're landing."

As Simba looked up, they approached a small balcony, and Tails gently set him down, landing softly beside him. When Knuckles landed behind them, he stayed silent, running up to the Master Emerald. "I wonder if this had anything to do with what happened…"

"That or the Chaos Emerald…it _was_ a Chaos Control…"

Simba was bewildered. "Chaos control?"

As Tails sighed, he said, "I don't even know what it really is, only that it's a way of harnessing the emeralds' power."

"By the way, Tails…you've been kinda quiet ever since I woke up."

Tails yawned. "To tell the truth, I haven't slept since the night before we met. I worked all night on the plane, and I even started a new transformation. Speaking of which, where _did_ the Tornado go?" Tails looked around.

"Do you think it fell through that hole? Or that it's somewhere on the bottom of Emerald Sea?" Knuckles asked.

"Did anything else come with us?" Tails asked, avoiding the question. Looking around, he pointed to a few plants. "Don't those grow on Angel Island? And that mountain is shaped like the one on the island, too. You don't think…?" Ending midsentence, he twirled his Tails and took off into the air, becoming a small speck of yellow next to the blazing sun.

As the speck became larger, both Simba and Knuckles could hear a mess of excited shouts.

"It IS Angel Island, only more desert-like!" Tails shouted, his fatigue gone, as he landed. "We're actually on the shrine right now, only it's been eroded away, for the most part. It's almost as if we're in the future!"

"How long, do you think?" Simba interrupted.

"I really don't know. Unless the sea somehow drained, explaining the canyon and all the erosion, which would take about a few months, I would say a couple hundred years."

"HUNDRED!" Knuckles shouted. "But that would mean…no one would really know about the emerald, meaning know one can steal, meaning I can do what I want! YES!" Knuckles pumped his fist in the air, overly excited at his freedom. "C'mon!" he laughed. "Let's explore!"

Jumping off the balcony, he dived straight into the hole, catching the rim at the last moment. "It's fine!" he shouted up. "There's a room down here!" With that, he let go, falling down.

"Tails…"

"Yes, Simba?"

"I'd like to try something… I want to do this on my own." And with that last statement, Simba leaped off of the platform.


	6. Chapter 6: Contemplations

**A/N: I don't really have much to say…but thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Anyways, does anyone have any plot related suggestions? Include them in a review or PM me. Just don't put them in a review as pure suggestions. Please… Oh yeah, there are also some small Crossover parts, but they have nothing to do with the plot, just Simba's background.**

_**Chapter 6- Contemplation**_

"SIMBA!" Tails yelled, holding out his hand over the balcony, trying in vain to catch him. Vaulting over, he tried to make himself as small as possible, to increase his speed. However, Simba held out his limbs, slowing his fall.

Twirling his single tail madly, he tried to get himself to hover, but only one tail wasn't nearly strong enough. Not one to give up, Simba angled himself towards the rim of the hole, his hand only grazing it. Still plummeting, time began to slow. As Simba fell, he looked around. The room was rather big, seeing as it was underground. Large statues stood everywhere, and four pillars cornered a large pile of rocks. Higher on the wall, a continuous ledge had been cut.

After taking it all in, Simba closed his eyes, and waited for Death's embrace to embrace him, caused by mere stupidity. His life played over in his mind. It was as if he was reborn, but into the same life…

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

"_Sim?"_

"_Yeah, Eevil?"_

"_I noticed something be this willow tree…it was a map of some other place, one that I've never heard of. Was that…where you came from before you came here?" A worried smile crept onto the dark figure's face._

"_Yeah…except…I wasn't like this you know. I was always so scared…afraid something, someone would hurt me." Laughing, I continued. "I was such a wimp in those days. I was more of a bookworm, not really one for going on adventures. But Puplip changed all that…" My smile faded as I recalled the yellow mouse. "I remember when we first met…she found me in the woods, unconscious. But this woman came to us and told us that her baby had fallen into a gorge. And so...our adventure team started…team Simpup. How naive, we were, to think that the world was so small…" _

More memories appeared, a little later.

"_Simba! Please don't do this! This battle will wreck you! How will I find you again?"_

"_Eevil! Listen to me! This is the only way! Get out of here, NOW!"_

"_Okay…" Running off, my dear friend fled. _

_I turned my head, resting my eyes on the figure in front of me. It was a wolf-fox type animal. But still, it could shape-shift, so I couldn't really say what he really was; only that he was no Saint. "Today this ends…" The yellow aura around me grew brighter, and the flames on my head grew larger. Focusing my incredible energy, at an amount I had never even thought about, I lunged, starting the fight._

_But it wasn't pretty. Even though I had won, the creature not getting in one blow in the 30-second duration, the only way to kill it was to sacrifice myself. Summoning every last ounce of strength, I held my palm to his face, his crippled body dangling from my grip on his neck, and out came the fire._

_The Blast Burn._

_Both of us were consumed in the plume of fire. My strength no wavering, I still kept up the assault, even as my energy began to ebb. I screamed, but the green fire torched my mouth, my throat, and everything inside. And I fell, my body maimed and mangled. At least Eevil might help me, I thought, as I blacked out._

The final memory came, more recent than the others.

_I decided to travel on all fours; my leg had begun to bother me again. My knapsack bobbed up and down; the pole it was hung on propped against my shoulder. Life had been hectic. I often went on these journeys, seeking solitude from the fast-paced life back home. Too many people there, and always partying…he was getting too old for this. _

_And it seemed like life was slipping him by. Every few years, something new happened. Nothing big really happened between, so he judged time by those. _

_He wondered how Eevil would react to his empty bed when he made his rounds to check on him. It was his birthday, too. He was turning thirty today. At least he would be back at in time for Eevil's birthday the next month._

_Starting to pant, I sat against a large tree, lost in thought. He tried to think back to what was life, before his adventures with Puplip. But they escaped him. He knew he had a family, somewhere, someplace, but it had been many, many years. He would be presumed dead, and probably forgotten by most people in these 20-odd years. But why couldn't he remember the faces of ones he once loved? It seemed everything was black until he met Puplip, but even that memory was starting to become hazy._

_I shouted as the roots I was sitting collapsed, shattering my memories. Falling into a small cavern, I took in its rather large size. Now that I thought about it, it would make a perfect place to settle down. Placing my knapsack on a small, natural shelf, I wandered around. The whole place was just the right size!_

_Suddenly, pain shot up my leg and foot. Looking down, I realized I had stepped on a sleeping hedgehog-thing, one I had never seen, seeing as it had flowers on its back. Bad mistake._

_Its eyes, red from being awakened, glared at me. Standing up, it tackled me to the floor, and gazed into my eyes. After that, everything went black, until I saw these picture: a sign, saying SSPD; some fat dude with goggles; a weird creature, peach colored and wearing some simple jewelry; a sky-blue jewel;, and lastly…a two-tailed fox._

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Simba landed with a sickening thud. Jarred from his memories, he could only contemplate why he had done such an idiotic act. Was it caused by jealousy? Or was it from wanting to be the best? He wasn't like that, so it couldn't be either. Maybe it was from wanting to try something out…that was probably it…

But Simba would never know, as his blood, his life, and his will drained onto the jagged rocks.


	7. Chapter 7: Awakening

**A/N- *sniff* Poor Simba…by the way, I really appreciate any reviewers, so please, keep the reviews comin'!**

_**Chapter 7- Awakening**_

"Simba!" Tails cried, landing in the puddle of blood around Simba, his knees turning crimson. "NO! Don't leave me! Not like this!" Tails continued to sob, holding his friend's limp body in his arms.

Landing next to him, Knuckles did his best to comfort the distraught kitsune, his eyes watering as well. "Tails…it isn't the time for sobbing. And I agree, he shouldn't have done tha-"

"IT WAS ALL BECAUSE OF ME!" Tails screamed. "I shouldn't have shown him my ability; he just got jealous." Tails sniffed. "He wanted to try it on his own, and it was all because of me!" Cutting himself off, Tails buried his face in Simba's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Knuckles had no idea what to say. He was the guardian of an emerald, not some little kid! "Tails…don't blame yourself, if he got jealous, then it was his own fault. It's alright to mourn him, but blaming yourself won't solve anything. Now c'mon, let's find your plane; it's probably around here somewhere…" Glancing up, Knuckles cast his steady gaze around the room, but found nothing. "Tails…get up; it's time for us to get out of here."

As he picked Tails off of Simba, a small glint caught his eye. Setting the fox down, he kneeled next to the body and turned it over hesitantly. He _really_ didn't want to see what he looked like. Closing his eyes and rummaging around, he pulled out a blood-stained Chaos Emerald. Shoving it into some fold of fur on his leg, he walked off, picking up the crying kitsune on the way.

"Now how do we get out of here…wait, what?" Knuckles glanced behind him as the room rumbled, and a roaring came into hearing. "What's going on? Tails?" Shaking his head, Tails glanced around, his red-rimmed eyes showing his anguish, until they rested on Simba's body.

Simba, even in death, began to glow. A faint, yellow haze began to form around him, and the rumbling and roaring increased in volume and strength. "WHOA!"

The rocks from which Simba lay upon shot up into the air, and the roar became deafening. Watching in awe, both of the Mobians were amazed at the phenomenon. A continuous column of air shot from the new hole in the floor, and rocks levitated in its power.

As something clicked in the vast reaches of Tails' head, he slipped out of Knuckles' grasp and flew into the plume of air. "SIMBA!" Knuckles groaned and followed.

After resting on the top of the air, Tails revved his namesakes and rose into the air. Quickly glancing around, he spotted Simba on a small box held in a statue's lap. "I'm coming Simba!" Fighting a forming headwind, he plowed through, resting his tails as he hovered above Simba.

Simba lay face-up, his injuries showing. His face must have been the only part of his body recognizable besides his back. Gashes tore mercilessly across every part of his body. His flesh was ripped and torn, exposing raw muscle in many places; warm, sticky blood still flowed freely, only just beginning to clot.

But this did not deter Tails. Ignoring the gore, he wept, his tears falling into the wounds. He wept for the short friendship, one that was true, yet only starting days ago. He wept for Simba's stupidity, caused by jealousy of his own power. And he wept for his valor, saving both Tails' and Knuckles' lives in a matter of seconds. Tears of sorrow and anguish continued to fall.

"Tails…" Tails gasped and opened his moist eyes at the sound of the weak and broken voice, but familiar nonetheless. "Thank…you…I never…really…knew…"He was interrupted by his own coughing. Continuing, he spoke. "I never knew…how much…I actually meant to you…" With watering eyes, he held up a shaking hand, Tails immediately seizing it. "I want you…to promise me one thing, Tails. Never…ever…give up hope on me. History tends…to repeat itself…" Simba's voice gained strength, and Tails' eyes began to dry. "Something similar happened; very similar to this…my best friend gave me up for dead, even having a Final Ceremony for me. But do you know what happened? I came back! Even though it took six years, I fought death, and I won. One last thing, Tails. I'll always be by your side. I don't care what happens in between, but I'll make sure you always are happy in the end. And I want you to do the same for me…but for now…I need some rest…" Closing his eyes, the mangled fox fell into a deep slumber.

"I will, Simba…I'll always stay by your side!" Standing up, the cheered fox flinched as a large, blue rock landed in the sand below them. Standing on the edge of the cube, he looked down. "The Tornado!" Picking up the slumbering fox, he twirled his tails and hovered down next to his plane.

"We can get back to Station Square, now!" Giving his favorite aircraft a once-over, he determined that it was flight-worthy, somehow not having any rust on the entire frame. Hopping into the cockpit, he tested out the controls, all of which were in perfect condition, albeit with sand everywhere. Opening the backseat, he jumped out, put Simba in, and resumed his position.

"TAILS! WAIT UP!" Running up to the Tornado, Knuckles grabbed onto the side. "What are you thinking! And why is there a dead body in the backseat?"

"Can't talk, Knuckles. Are you coming to the city with us or not?

Grumbling, the echidna replied, "No…I have to guard the emerald!"

Muttering, "Suit yourself", under his breath, Tails fired up the engines and took off, leaving a trail of sand. Knuckles sighed and headed for the emerald's tower, unaware of the potential thief hiding in the shadows.

**A/N: I don't usually put these at the end, but there's been this glitch where I can't upload any chapters. OH NOES! So thanks for being patient and waiting!**


	8. Chapter 8: A Long Flight Home

**A/N- It is good to be back! With only having not even an hour and a half to use the computer, I've been working on some stuff with dA as well, namely a couple animations. Anyways, you may want to read my stuff there if you want to have a better understanding of Simba. Enjoy!**

_**Chapter 8- A Long Flight Home**_

The steady hum of the Tornado stood out against the crashing of the ocean waves. On a steady course westward after finding their coordinates, Tails kept the plane on a straight path. Trying to keep his thoughts on flying, he couldn't help but let his mind wander to other things. It was horrifying to think of Simba doing something so…so…_stupid_!...but at lest he didn't die. That was a relief. But didn't he say that happened to him, but he was in a coma for six years? How was that possible, unless he was injured at eight years old? He _was_ only fourteen, according to what Simba said when he was with Sonic.

Tails couldn't help but eavesdrop; they were talking pretty loud, and when Simba shouted…that sealed the deal.

"SONIC!" Tails shouted, waking Simba from his nap. It must have devastated him, Tails disappearing for however long it took. And the fact that it was with Simba didn't help his case at all.

"Tails…what's wrong?" the fox in the back seat mumbled, still weary from earlier events. "I heard you say Sonic…what about him?" Pawing his eyes, Simba yawned and stretched, his arms hanging over the sides of the plane.

"I was just thinking…how long have we been gone…I heard you talking to Sonic before dinner…and now we both disappeared together, and at the same time. I can't imagine what he must be going through."

"Tails…don't dwell on the past, or the present…just…_Hakuna Matata!_" Simba said, now smiling.

"The Kakuna Ratatta?"

"No! _Hakuna Matata_! It means 'No worries'; it was something I picked up from a friend. Just live in the present, you'll be happier that way!"

"You do realize that planning is an essential part of a balanced life." The kitsune replied, his expression becoming blank.

"Oh well, can't say I didn't try to cheer you up," Simba stated, leaning back and placing his feet on a small bar on the back of Tails' seat.

"You know Simba…I've been wondering…you never wear any shoes or gloves like everyone else, even the humans wear something."

"I've never really thought about it…"Simba said, glancing at his bare feet. "I've never really wanted to, seeing as where I come from, no one does, either."

Shrugging, Tails continued to fly the plane, nodding when he saw a dark strip on the low horizon. "Land ho…Simba, can you take over? I really need to sleep…"

"No prob! Just need to- WOAH!" Letting out a bark in distress, Simba stared at the metal claw suspending him above the Tornado. "Tails! I told you not to do that!"

"Sorry, forced habit…" He wearily mumbled, clambering over into the back seat and near-instantly falling asleep.

"Huh…" As the claw lowered Simba into the cockpit, he took over the controls as if he had been trained. The land, now becoming larger as time passed, could now be distinguished as an island with several smaller ones branching off to a larger landmass. "That's odd…it's shaped like…a chao…" Shrugging, Simba ignored the coincidence and flew past, just hoping to reach some civilization.

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Mortiisan City was huge. Actually, that was an understatement. It was immense. Its borders spanned hundreds of miles inland from the north and south ends of the continent, literally dwarfing the small island city of Soleanna next to it. Fortunately, it wasn't as crowded as one might expect. Sure, you had your downtown, uptown, Main Square, main street, recreational area, yadda-yadda-yadda. In other words, everything you would expect of a major capital city. However, it still retained some of those nice, suburban areas you might expect of a more…rural town, making it the only place that was neither city nor country.

Now, if you looked up, you would expect the more familiar sights; a few planes, skyscrapers, church steeples, the clock tower, and possibly even a blimp. However, if one were to look up at around noon, standing near the eastern part of the city, you might pick out a small, rapidly falling speck near a military-style cargo plane. If one were farther north, one would see two small specks standing on the edge of an office tower. Your first guess of who doesn't count.

Up on the tower, the Tornado was parked on a conveniently place helipad on a conveniently placed tower in a convenient city that was very inconveniently far away from the rapidly diminishing dot and plane to the south.

"I wonder what Sonic's gotten into this time…"

"Something with that egg-head, you told me about, no-doubt." Simba scratched at a small cut behind his spiked hair. "Should we go after him?"

Turning to the plane, he paused. "Eggman would think I have some crazy invention planned in store for him…which I do…how about I tag along on foot and you take the plane. Hm?"

"Alright with me, but I still have no idea how you plan on doing that."

Tapping some small, iron bands on his ankles, the yellow two-tailed fox hopped into the air and sped after his longtime friend, trails of steam tagging along his feet.

Walking over to the plane, Simba placed his paw on the hull and shook his head. "Now how do I start this thing?"

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Sparks flew from the street as a blue blur sped past, startling citizens in its wake. A harsh grinding sound could be heard, along with a loud whoop of pleasure. The crazed fans who chased it hopelessly knew their idol by one name: Sonic.

Jumping off the rim of a pothole, a ramp in his mind's eye, he span in a circle, grasping at a floating shoe and picture of his face. A satisfying jingle, along with a catchy tune, played out as he made contact. With a small boom, he landed and continued, perfectly angling numerous 90 degree angles and dodging multiple trucks. Leaving his makeshift board, a wing from the afore-mentioned plane, he leapt over a hedge, bowling over his over-eager friend in the process.

Hurriedly rising off the ground, he ran a short ways before stopping in his tracks. Turning, he murmured the kitsune's name. "Tails? TAILS!" Using a burst of speed only he could muster, he embraced him, letting out a whiles-worth of pent-up misery and worry. "Where have you been for the past two years? And it's as if you haven't changed at all! What happened?" Narrowing his eyes, which seemed to grow crimson, he continued. "And where is Simba? WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU?"

Pushing off the frantic hedgehog, Tails tried to stay calm. "Sonic, I can explain. We went on a small flight, and Simba wanted to know about the emeralds." This caused a small "hmph!" from Sonic. "I got distracted, and I lost control, and we ended up…hitting…er…the…emerald..." he finished weakly.

"YOU WHAT?"

"A small chunk broke off, and the island fell…again...but Simba had a Chaos emerald, from where, I don't know, but we all were knocked out, and we woke up in this desert, which turned out to be Angel Island…"

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

For what seemed to be the hundredth time in his life, Simba collapsed on the ground, his entire body sorely beaten, no pun intended. Standing on a run-down military robot, a black fox of the same proportions as Simba, albeit with ice shards of a light shade of blue mixing with a deep purple at the bases, laughed, holding a green emerald in his hand. "HA! I should be the one losing, you controlling fire, but you can't even do THAT without collapsing! It was a complete waste of time even taking this emerald in the first place. And he said you would be a challenge. Hmph! Next time, be able to use fire by the time I see you again! Have fun on Prison Island!"

As his vision began to blur, Simba could make out the dark fox vanish in a shroud of light, and multiple lights and dark shapes surround him.


	9. Chapter 9: Prison Island

**A/N: Out of curiosity, how often do you readers need updates? Just checkin', is all. Anyways, read and review, as usual.**

_**Prison Island**_

They had Simba tied up and muzzled. Being anthromorphic, no one really thought it necessary, although they didn't want to take any chances with a fox they had never seen before. All Simba could really remember was a constant droning, a weightless sensation, and then being thrown in a small, dark room, dark and damp to boot. All he could do was sit and groan in utter misery, and having been stripped of any possessions, screwing up his way to signal help for Tails.

He lay there for what seemed to take an hour, although he really couldn't tell. He wasn't going to be able to get out of this mess whining and laying on his side, but maybe a little rest could help…whatever. With a small grunt, he managed to push himself off of the cold, stone floor and sit up against the wall. As he took stock of his surroundings, he realized they had removed the muzzle and bindings, allowing him to move freely. Idiots.

His thoughts were interrupted by a small bell going off on the near a large grate of solid steel bars, far enough to at least see clearly through. Leaning forward, he could make out a small, flat object being pushed through beneath a small gap. Rising up, using the wall for support, he managed to stand for a moment before collapsing. He was still too weak from earlier events, so that was a no-go. On his hands…well…paws and knees, he crawled over far enough to be able to smell the object. FOOD!

Albeit a very gummy paste with no flavor, it was at least edible, and Simba hadn't eaten for days. He ravenously tore into it, the food disappearing in seconds. _It was good while it lasted…_Ignoring the bland taste in his mouth, Simba checked his body for any major injuries and possessions. While all of his wounds were minor and wouldn't cause too much trouble. But they still hurt like hell. As for any objects, everything had been taken, leaving him entirely bare.

He sighed…as a small _clink!_ echoed through the damp air. His eyes snapping open, the fox frantically looked around, his eyes resting on a small blue gem in the middle of the floor. It had a soft glow to it, almost as if it were…

"A Chaos Emerald…"

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Sonic pulled Tails around a corner into an alley way as a very large GUN truck sped past, crashing into an arch further down the sloped road. "That was close…too close, Sonic…" Tails panted, worn out from the quick and unexpected run.

"Tails…let's head home. We need to talk." Grabbing the kitsune's paw, he ran off into the city, albeit a lot slower than the norm. The city seemed foreign to Tails, having been gone for an as-of-yet undefined amount of time. The most he could tell was that this was Station Square, just large and more modern, if he could use that term. He recognized a burger joint, a train station, a hotel, a casino, that alley way, and his house, but that was really it. Luckily, they were already close to original area itself to begin with, so it was a short trip.

After heading inside the cluttered home, the pair took a seat in the living room, Sonic on the couch, straight-faced for once, and Tails in a small bean-bag chair in a corner. "Tails…" Sonic began. "Can you tell me…what happened that day…the day you disappeared?"

Tails cleared his throat. "Sonic…before I begin, just know that if not for Simba, I wouldn't be here. So please, if you have any grudges against him, please don't…but I digress…"

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

Tails and Sonic were in the Tornado, flying to a small island east of the city. After explaining his side of the story, Sonic had told him that he had been missing for two months and pronounced dead be everyone but him. In that time, the mayor enlarged Station Square on a whim, keeping the name, but nearly expanding it twenty-fold.

Flying over the sea, the two merely made small talk, waiting out the long flight. The island was a military base called Prison Island, and was used to house major criminals, being empty until that very day. Earlier, as they talked, the TV was playing the news channel quietly. However, Tails had seen Simba, and upon turning up the volume, found out that a fox, one very similar to Simba, had stolen a Chaos Emerald from a very wealthy bank, the green one, to be precise. The fox had used it to blow up a small military base near the Western fringe of the city, and then had disappeared somewhere. However, the story changed to a few hours later, live, and the reporter talked about how they had caught the criminal, stating that he was disguised during the robbery. She had said that he was found wounded in a small parking lot, a military machine having been destroyed after following him through the city near him. They had arrested him on site and brought him to Prison Island. At this, Tails had already run off to fetch his plane.

O.o.o.O.o.o.O

A black fox, a tall, fat man, and a small pink hedgehog turned at the sound of a mild explosion behind them. They gaped as a glowing, silver fox with flaming hair strolled through the burning wreckage and paced towards them. "Amy…I hope you realize who that is…now, Shade…prepare to fight!" As the two foxes faced each other, ready to fight, only the human had noticed the small blue speck nearing them in the sky.


End file.
